Aug 5th Stuck on a rut

Morning dawns and the main thing on our mind is Marvin’s health. While Neil delves under the bonnet Jan prepares us a little breakfast. Both of us are quite subdued with the realisation that we might not be able to get much further, let alone complete the rally.
Surprisingly Marvin has used very little oil since we left Moscow and starts up first time and settles to a steady tick over, this raises our spirits a little and we head off to the border and somehow get right to the front of the queue.

While waiting for the border crossing to open we decide to remove the money we have stashed in Marvin and hide it on our persons incase the car is searched. The first form we are given is all in Russian but we realise that it is the same as the last one we had to fill out coming into Russia so we copy the information across and nervously hand it back to the official, after an agonizing wait he raises the barrier and we drive out of Russia.

Now for Kazakhstan!!

At the first set of buildings (sheds) we are greeted by half a dozen officials who seem more interested in the strange car than their duties. Eventually some papers are produced which to our relief are much the same to the ones we have already seen, so Neil fills them in leaving a couple of sections blank and hands them back to the official. When he points to the blank sections, Neil just shrugs again so the official takes pity and fills them in for us. They were checked and stamped but before we could go all 11 people there came out to look at the Marvin and the bonnet was opened once again for inspection. When one of them has the temerity to laugh at the engine he is told off in no uncertain terms by one of his colleagues. Having seen all they want hands are shaken all round and we are waved to the next shed. We are invited into the office and told to sit down as one of them takes our papers and attempts to fill the details in on his computer. Unfortunately he speaks no English and so after many attempts to help, and much laughter, he got on the phone and we were told to wait again until the chief of customs was summoned to help. A few minutes later a man in a black suit comes in shakes our hands and in what seems like the first time in ages someone speaks to us in English. Quite quickly all the paperwork is dealt with and we are issued with our Kazak registration document. We go outside where they decide a full search of Marvin is in order so we unload our bags. Opening our bags one the guard pulls out a bottle of Russian champagne we have bought to celebrate Jan’s birthday the following week, and turns to question Neil – saying ‘one bottle?’ Neil replies ‘No, two bottles’ and the second bottle appears from the bottom of the bag. Minutes later a half bottle of vodka is discovered in the side pocket of the bag. With a serious face the guard turns to Neil and says ‘Problem!’ Looking apologetic – Neil says ‘Problem?’ and the guard breaks into a smile, puts the bottle back and says ‘No problem’. Luckily they didn’t search our cooler box, because there they would have discovered another four half bottles of vodka! After a quick look at our other bags they seem satisfied and our things are loaded back into the car. Neil remembers the word ‘strakofka’ and is directed to yet another hut and we buy our insurance for a matter of a few pounds. We are then waved through to the third and final shed for the final stamping of our documents. The Kazak customs is far more relaxed than the Russian customs – with the official sitting outside in the sun, hat pushed back, shoes off while chatting with a friend. Jan ducks under the barrier to take our paperwork to him and after more form filling the barrier is raised and we are on our way – after a mere four hours!

Less than a mile up the road we discover than Jan has lost the money she had hidden on her person – we are now about £250 lighter, such is life! We are stopped a mile or so later by the Kazak traffic police who look at our documents and after reminding us to get our visas stamped send us on our way. So far the Kazak roads appear tarmaced and pretty good, maybe Toms information that there is a tarmac road through Kazakhstan is correct after all. There is very little traffic and with spirits lifting we set off towards Oral – the first big city.

We soon received a text from Leo and Elizabeth. Somehow we have managed to get ahead of them on the road, and so we arrange to meet them on the outskirts of Oral. While waiting for them to arrive, a wedding procession passes and to our surprise the bride and groom do a U-turn to have their picture taken with us and Marvin, then turn around to drive off to the celebrations.

Leo and Elizabeth arrive and after a quick chat, we drive into the city. Our first priority is to get some Kazak currency, but unfortunately it is the weekend and the banks are closed. While trying to work out what to do, a car pulls up and a young man gets out and introduces himself in perfect English as Muslin, and offers us his help. We drive to a bank where a friend of his works but even after much pleading they refuse to open so we then follow him to the black market area where he has a contact, soon the deed is done.

One 2cv draws much attention, but two together soon brings the road to a total halt as people park their cars anywhere and make their way to marvel at this probably unique sight. Muslin then takes us to get fuel, Leo is insistent we need grade 95 but Muslin explains this is in very short supply and is reserved for special customers, undeterred he takes us to the first filling station where we get 10 litres each, but Leo wanted to fill his jerry cans and so off we set to another garage where Leo compromised and bought 40 litres of grade 93 fuel. After swapping email addresses and thanking Muslin and his friends we headed out of the city and into the unknown.

As we head east the roads deteriorate quickly. Jan takes over the driving and to relieve the pain of a long standing back problem decides to sit on a rolled up sleeping bag and is amazed to find Marvin had a bonnet! Encouraged by this she drives even faster reaching 30 mph over the rutted mud that constitutes a road in these parts. Seeing a filling station Neil decides to fill the Jerry cans. As we stop the family all come out to see us and 40 litres of fuel are purchased and pumped into the two Jerry cans. The amazement on their faces when having lined up for Neil to take their picture, he showed them the result on the screen… the wonders of digital photography. After driving for a couple of hours we swap drivers and Leo take the lead and sets off at an even faster pace. Misreading the ruts in one place Neil launches Marvin into the air….. silence followed by a huge BANG as everything grounds out! The boot flies open and our belongings are thrown around but Marvin handles it well. We get out to inspect the damage and other than the roof rack, loaded with 40 litres of fuel and our two spare wheels, having twisted and slipped forward everything thing else seemed undamaged. Driving a little more carefully we meet up with Leo and Elizabeth just outside the next village. First stop is for fuel and having paid for 18 litres Neil fills Marvin up. Again there is no dial on the pump and when we turn the ignition on we are well short of full. Neil goes back to argue but is fobbed off, till Jan steams in and the owner 'remembers' that there are 5 litres left to come! We are then directed to the local transport café, which consists of half a caravan and a large tarpaulin! While Neil strips off the roofrack and starts hammering the brackets straight with a rock against a concrete pillar Jan goes in search of food and returns with the local delicacy, like a slightly spicy Cornish pasty but in dough rather than pastry A young girl approaches and introduces herself as the local English teacher, having studied for two years at university. Within minutes it seemed half the village had lined up for her to translate their questions to us. Leo and Elizabeth decide for reasons of their own to drive a little further then stop to wait for us. Eventually, with shims made from red bull cans the brackets for the roofrack pass inspection and everything is loaded back up and we set off to catch up with them

The road out of the village is in the process of being built and consists of a bed of inch diameter rocks. This is like driving on Marbles and Marvin gets dragged in deeper and deeper until he is beached. Leo runs back to give Neil a hand trying to pull Marvin out with Jan driving but have no success until a passing lorry stops and two men join in the effort. We are soon back on the rutted mud road with the light fading and although Elizabeth doesn’t like sleeping in the car, we decide it is too dangerous to drive in the dark with all the ruts and potholes. We soon find a secluded service road screened from the main track by trees. Exhausted again we hit the minibar and after a couple of drinks turned in for the night